Hemorrhoids are anorectal swellings composed of varicosities of one or more veins in and around the rectal opening. Stretching of the rectal muscular wall during a bowel movement, particularly during constipation, results in repeated stretching of the thin walls of the veins in the rectal area. This repeated stretching may weaken the veins, and result in permanent stretching and stressing of the veins to form hemorrhoids. Once hemorrhoidal conditions become established, the condition usually becomes more acute because the stool is forced through the rectal canal so that it pushes the already swollen veins outward, stretching them even more. The bulging veins may become prolapsed, descending below the anorectal line and outside the anal sphincter. The prolapsed veins may become thrombosed with blood clots and further distend the hemorrhoidal vein, to produce excrusiating pain and exquisite tenderness.
Prolapsed hemorrhoids are quite painful and remain so until the prolapse is reduced. Bleeding frequently occurs with hemorrhoids. Depending on the severity of the hemorrhoidal condition, difficulty may be encountered in sitting and walking.
Typical treatment of hemorrhoids is nonspecific, tending to deal only with the symptoms of pain, itching, bleeding and inflammation. Surgical procedures are resorted to for the most critical conditions. Corrective treatment frequently involves improvement of bowel function through administration of mild laxatives and/or stool softeners to reduce constipation.
A myriad of compositions for local, topical application said to be useful for providing symptomatic relief of hemorrhoids are available commercially. Persons suffering from hemorrhoids usually self-medicate with these products, and may often fail to seek medical advice. The compositions available usually comprise combinations of local anesthetics, vasoconstrictors, antiseptics, and astringents. These compositions are all applied topically, and there is no known oral medication for treatment of hemorrhoids save oral medication taken for relief of severe pain. Such compositions are variably effective in relieving symptoms of hemorrhoids, and may cause some local reactions depending on their chemical composition and skin sensitivity.
Thus, there exists a great need for an improved and effective treatment of hemorrhoids. The need is even greater for a treatment which will not only relieve the symptoms of hemorrhoids, but also remedy the diseased condition. The need for a composition which can be orally administered for treatment of hemorrhoids is especially great, and is provided by this invention.